Fratello?
by papyrusInk0413
Summary: It's nearly the end of the word, no, it is the end of the world, and the Italian duo are growing further and further apart. They need to clean up their acts or else it's over, not only their chance to live, but as well as their chance to confess. [Modern AU. Zombie AU. Itacest.]
1. Chapter 1

_"Fratello?"_

_"Right here, Feli."_

_"I had a nightmare..."_

_"Come in my bed, then."_

_"Sorry for bugging you."_

_"It's okay. Was it zombies again?"_

_"No! ...Yes."_

_"I told you you're too young to watch those movies."_

_"Am not!"_

_"Sure."_

_"Fratello?"_

_"Right here, Feli."_

_"Ti amo, Lovi."_

_"Ti amo, Feli."_

Feliciano woke up from his nap, stretching. He lifted his arms up, letting the blood rush through. It had been a while since he had dreamt about that night. Feliciano pursed his lips into a pout.

"I was not young," he protested to the ceiling. "It was a scary movie!"

The ceiling only hummed with the electricity of the fan.

"I wasn't scared, though," huffed the Italian. "It was Lovino who was scared!"

Again, the ceiling hummed. Feliciano sighed and sat up, shaking his head. He glanced at the clock, fidgeting with anticipation. The tomato clock read 10:28, and Feliciano whined in disappointment. He had hoped an hour had passed when he took his nap. He was so impatient when it came to waiting for his older brother to come home from work.

"Why does Lovi have to work the night shift?" Feliciano asked his pillow, squeezing it. "It's so boring without him!" He sighed, flopping back onto the couch.

Again, Feliciano thought back to the night where he had slept with the other Vargas brother. It had been quite a while since then, about ten years now, and Feliciano missed when he and Lovino were close. The two used to speak in unison, and Lovino used to smile a lot more. But things tend to change.

"Just another half hour," murmured Feliciano, closing his eyes again. He fell asleep to the low hum of electricity, a soothing sound, and it lulled him to sleep...when it stopped. Feliciano sat up, his eyes widening slightly at the sudden silence. He didn't like the silence. It terrified, to not be able to know what was going to happen next.

Feliciano stood up from the couch, his muscles already starting to lock up, causing him to shake. "Lovi?" he called out. Was his brother home early? Had he accidentally hit the power pole again on the way in? Feliciano didn't hear a car pull in, though... "Lovi, are you home?" Feliciano left the living room and peered outside from the kitchen window.

The entire neighborhood was dark, not even the street lights were on. No cars passed by, adding onto the thick blanket of quiet. A blackout, then? It seemed most reasonable, but for the entire neighborhood to have been affected? Feliciano decided to call Lovino to ask him to come home early.

The small Italian grabbed the home phone hanging on the wall and dialed his brother's work number. To his disappointment, but not surprise, the line was off. "Damn it," whined Feliciano. He set the phone back on its holder and grabbed his cell. Dialing Lovino's cell number, Feliciano paced the kitchen floor, glancing outside every moment or so. Was someone moving out there? It couldn't be. Probably his imagination.

"_Ciao, it's Lovino Vargas. I can't reach my phone right now, so just leave a message and I'll get back to you."_ The beep sounded, and Feliciano sighed. Lovino's phone was always on. Where could he be?

"Hi, fratello, it's Feli. Come home soon, please. The power's out and it's scary here. Not that I'm scared! Just...yeah...come home soon! Bye!" Feliciano ended the voicemail and started to gnaw at his nails, a habit he's repeatedly tried and failed to stop. He decided to go upstairs and go to sleep. Lovino would be home soon, and Feliciano wanted to wait for him, but he had exams tomorrow, and it was already 10:35 p.m.

"Fratello..." Feliciano glanced outside the window one last time, starting to turn away, when something caught his eye. He leaned over the kitchen sink, squinting out into the darkness outside. Someone was definitely moving out there, just outside the neighbor's fence. Was it Lovino? Feliciano smiled weakly and was about to go outside, but something told him it wasn't his brother. The movements were too...jerky, and the person was walking with a limp. Feliciano opened the window, leaning out a bit.

"Hello? Hey, stranger! Do you need help?" The person stopped and turned their body to the window. Feliciano waved them over, smiling cheerfully. The person stood still, then started to limp towards Feliciano, until they broke out into a sprint. It startled Feliciano so much that he didn't have time to close the window as the person lunged at him.

Feliciano screamed, falling backwards, as the person tried to claw their way through the small opening of the window. Feliciano scrambled up, dashing upstairs to his room. He slammed the door and locked it, trembling. Whatever was downstairs, it wasn't a human, at least not anymore. Feliciano reached into his pocket for his cell, clutching it as he tried to call Lovino again. Again, there wasn't an answer.

Feliciano stared at the door, shaking badly as he started to cry. He was so confused, he just wanted to go to sleep. Maybe it was a bad dream, and when he woke up, Lovino would be sitting on the bed next to him, passed out from a long night at work. Even as much as he wanted to believe that, Feliciano didn't want to go to sleep alone, not with that..._thing_ lurking the house now. His only option now was to just wait it out.

* * *

Lovino huffed as he flicked off the radio. "Damn brother," he grumbled. Feliciano had left in the tomato song CD and taken out the rest. The radio stations were nothing but static as well.

Lovino checked the time on the radio. 11:24. He was running late. Just great. He was irked that his boss had made him restock the pasta aisles, but he was also worried. Feliciano was never home alone this late. Lovino hoped his younger brother was safe.

Traffic seemed to stretch on forever, and Lovino drummed his fingers against the wheel with a groan. At this rate, he'd be lucky enough to reach home at midnight.

The brown haired Italian rubbed his eyes, when he heard honking. "What the hell?" Lovino looked up. Traffic was to a complete stop. He scowled and rolled his window down. "Hey, what's the problem up there?"

"Police cars," came a reply from another car. Lovino glanced over to a young woman smoking a cigarette. "My ma is up there, and she just called saying there's a blockade right now."

"What? But I need to get home right away!"

"Got a lover waiting?" asked the woman, flicking the ashes out the window.

"No," answered Lovino. "My brother."

"I see. How old is he?"

"Eighteen. I'm nineteen. We live alone, and I'm the worker during the weekdays. He works the weekends." The woman smiled at Lovino.

"Older brother, eh? So you take care of him?" Lovino nodded. "Seems like a waste of time, money, and patience."

"Maybe to you!" snapped Lovino. "But to me it's the best thing in the world." He stared up at the starry night sky, lost in thought as he spoke. "I get to go home every day and see the smile on my fratello's face. I get to wake up and hear him sing. He's my little brother, and I wouldn't trade him for anything else in the world."

"I did not think you were the caring type," said the woman, snapping Lovino out of his trance. "You seem more of a 'screw-the-world' type of guy. Well, let me give you this one piece of advice, kiddo." She leaned out her window, crushing the cigarette onto her car door. "This isn't a very pretty world. Grab your brother, and hold onto him every day like it's your last. Got it?"

"Understood," said Lovino, rolling his window back up. He closed his eyes, starting to doze, but it was nearly impossible with Feliciano on his mind. Lovino finally decided to message him, to see if he was okay. His home screen showed zero missed call and messages. _Strange, _thought Lovino. Usually he'd have at least four messages from Feliciano about random things. He got his phone out and sent a text to his brother.

_Feli, you okay?_

Lovino waited for a reply, tapping the gas pedal.

_Feli?_

_Feliciano, damn it, this is no time for games. Answer me._

_You idiota, if you left your phone at school again..._

Lovino frowned when he didn't receive a response. Usually Feliciano would answer right away if his phone was on. Maybe he was asleep. But Lovino doubted it. Feliciano refused to go to sleep without the other Italian. It was a nightly routine of them going to their rooms, and the same four sentences would be exchanged.

_Fratello?_

_Right here, Feli._

_Buonanotte, Lovi._

_Buonanotte, Feli._

Even if Lovino came home at two in the morning - something that he had done before - Feliciano would be sitting in the living room in wait for his big brother.

But tomorrow was exam day for Feliciano. He couldn't afford to be up so late. Lovino tried to call him.

"Come on, pick up the freakin' phone," he muttered. Unfortunately, voicemail ran through.

_"Hello! You've reached Feliciano, that's me! I probably left my phone somewhere, or am having fun with my fratello! Please leave a message after the beep!"_

Lovino groaned as the loud beep sounded. "You idiota, you left your phone at school again, didn't you? I'm going to call our home phone. You better pick up!" Lovino hung up and dialed home. Three rings in, and he got voicemail.

_"Ciao! You've reached the Vargas brothers! I'm Feliciano! Lovi, say hi!"_

_"Feli, I am trying to do my work. Wait, is that recording? Feliciano, maledetto idiota!"_

_"Oh boy! Please leave a message after the beep and we'll get right back to you! Fratello, calm down!"_ The voicemail ended, and Lovino smiled slightly.

"Alright, Feli, you haven't picked up, I'm assuming you're asleep. You better be. I'll be home really late; I got caught in traffic. See you in the morning. Ti amo." He hung up and banged his head against the seat. Damn traffic, damn police, damn everything. It was one of those nights.

There was just a moment of silence before a low, faint screech was heard. Lovino opened his eyes, leaning forward. Up ahead, people were starting to get out of their cars. Lovino did the same, curious. The woman in the other car closed her door, leaning against the hood. "Sounds like a quite a commotion," she said. Lovino nodded, tilting his head to the side with a frown.

There was another faint screech, and what sounded like gunshots. "Something's happening over there," muttered Lovino.

"Yeah...Best if you get to your brother." Lovino glanced over to the woman. "If you back up and head out the I-4 route, you should be able to link back to the highway past the blockade."

"Alright...Thanks."

"No problem, kid. I lost my twin at a young age. I didn't appreciate her. Make sure you appreciate your brother." Lovino nodded and got back into his car as the woman lit another cigarette. He started the engine and backed up, careful not to hit the car behind him, and turned right, driving into I-4. He looked over at the backed up traffic on the road. People were getting out of their cars, standing on the hoods, trying to see what was happening.

As Lovino passed the blockade, he swore his heart jumped into his throat. Police officers were gunning down people at the front, moving down the lines. What were they doing? One of the police officers saw him and pointed, shouting something. "Shit," he muttered. But it wasn't him the officer was pointing out.

"Stop the car!" shouted another officer. Lovino did, though unhappy about it. He had to get home! "Close the windows, now!" He raised an eyebrow, absolutely confused as he rolled up the windows. Just as they closed, a hand slammed against the windshield. Lovino yelped, gripping the steering wheel with wide eyes.

Someone slid off the top of the car, crouching on the hood now. Lovino tried to calm himself down as bloodshot eyes peered at him. The man on the hood of his car let out a low guttural noise, far from human. He must've jumped down from the highway when Lovino had driven past.

The man screeched, then he was shot off, tumbling off the hood of the car. Lovino slammed his foot on the gas pedal, tearing down the road. He had to get home. He needed to get to Feliciano.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Uploading from mobile is hard, especially since I have to check multiple times to see if the copy-n-paste didn't HTML the whole thing. Updates for this story should be every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, with possible bonus chapters on Sunday, unless something comes up. In which case I will try to crunch in time to update. ¡Adios!**_

* * *

Lovino drove home, shaking with worry for his brother. The entire neighborhood was dark, his headlights the only source of illumination. He quickly pulled in the driveway to his house, grabbing his keys and jumping out of the car. "Feli?" he called out, running to the front door. _Please, please be okay!_

Lovino unlocked the door to the house and ran in. "Feliciano? Are you here?" When he didn't get an answer, Lovino ran to the living room, hoping to find his younger brother curled up on the couch. There wasn't a sign of the other Italian in the room. Lovino started to panic, his whole body trembling with terror, when there was a loud shriek from upstairs. Lovino dashed up the steps to find someone slamming against the door to Feliciano's room. "Hey!" Without any common sense, Lovino reached out and yanked the person away.

He wasn't expecting the terrifying face of a man whose eyes were bloodshot, his pupils white, and his mouth dripping with dark blood. Shocked, Lovino stumbled back, falling back down the stairs with a yelp. He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut to stop the white lights streaking across his vision. There wasn't much time to rest, however, because Lovino heard a low growl from upstairs. Opening his eyes, he saw the man crouching on the steps, ready to pounce. And he would have pounced Lovino if the Italian hadn't rolled out of the way.

Lovino scrambled up, backing away as the man turned his head towards him, snarling. "Hey, there's no need for this," he said, trying to at least communicate with the thing. "I don't know what you're doing in my house, but you need to leave." The man only snarled again, baring his teeth at Lovino. "Okay...so it looks like you won't cooperate." Lovino tried to inch away from the man, an idea forming in his head.

There was a basement to the house that was inaccessible unless someone were to use the dumbwaiter in the kitchen. If Lovino could lead the man into the dumbwaiter and send him down, there was a zero percent chance of him coming back up. So with that set in his mind, Lovino kept his eyes trained on the crouching, snarling, inhumane thing in front of him as he slowly made his way from the hall to the kitchen. The man followed, his head twitching to the side every few seconds.

Lovino carefully pushed the kitchen door open, not wanting to make any sudden moves for fear of getting jumped. Why, of all things, was this happening?

As Lovino lured the man into the kitchen, Feliciano stayed inside his room. What if Lovino wasn't actually down there? What if he was imagining things, and that monster was still out there? Feliciano stared at the door, his head aching from crying so much.

It was silent outside, until there was a sudden crash, followed by a screech. Feliciano covered his ears to block out the commotion, curling up into a ball on his bed. He wanted it all to stop, he wanted Lovino, he wanted everything to go back to normal!

Downstairs, Lovino was having a rather difficult time trying to get the man into the dumbwaiter. After having tipped over a jar on the counter by mistake, the man had screeched and lunged at Lovino, teeth bared. He almost bit Lovino if the Italian hadn't jumped out the way. Now the two were darting around the kitchen, the man nowhere near the dumbwaiter.

Deciding enough was enough, Lovino risked the chance of stopping to yank the cover of the dumbwaiter up. He then ducked just as the man lunged at him, slamming right into the rectangular space. Lovino closed the cover as the man thrashed and snarled. He reached for the switch on the wall and flicked it up. The rope inside the walls lowered the little elevator rapidly, the pulley groaning at the sudden slack. Lovino held his breath as the dumbwaiter fell further and further down.

He let the breath go when he heard the faint thump of the dumbwaiter hitting the basement floor. The...whatever-that-was couldn't have survived that. Even if he did, there was zero chance of him getting back up. Lovino leaned against the counter in relief, when he remembered about Feliciano. "Feli!" Lovino ran back upstairs, knocking on Feliciano's door. "Feli, are you there? Open up!" The door slowly cracked open as a wide brown eye peeked out.

"Lovino?" Lovino smiled tiredly, his heartbeat slowing now that he knew his brother was okay.

"Hello, Feliciano." The door suddenly swung open and Feliciano threw himself at Lovino.

"Fratello!" he sobbed, clinging to his older brother. Lovino hugged him tightly, afraid to let him go.

"It's okay. I'm here now. You're safe."

"I don't know what's going on anymore!"

"I know, neither do I." Lovino stroked his younger brother's hair in an attempt to calm him down. "Are you okay? Did that guy hurt you?"

"No," mumbled Feliciano. "I ran when he came in through the window. Lovi...what was he?"

"Feli...do you remember those zombie movies you used to watch?" The realization made Feliciano shake.

"No...please...it's a bad dream, it has to be," he stuttered out. "It...it has to be!" Lovino shook his head, feeling Feliciano shake in his arms. "I don't...I don't want to die." He started to cry again, absolutely terrified.

"Hey, you are not going to die, alright?" Lovino tilted Feliciano's head up. "I'll protect you. I promise, nothing will happen to you." Feliciano leaned against Lovino, sniffling. He knew Lovino would keep his promise, but he was still scared to death. All he wanted right now was to go to sleep.

"Thank you, Lovi," he murmured, yawning a bit.

"Lay down, okay? I'll check the house. I'll be right back." Lovino let Feliciano go and left the room. Feliciano made his way to his bed, sitting in the corner as he waited for his brother to come back.

A minute or two had passed before Lovino came back. He closed the bedroom door, locking it with a sigh. "Everything's locked. We're safe for the night." Feliciano waited, looking at Lovino with sad eyes. Lovino noticed and frowned. "Is something wrong?" Feliciano held his arms out as if he were a little child. Lovino smiled and rolled his eyes, kicking off his shoes before crawling into the bed. Feliciano immediately snuggled against Lovino, laying his blanket over them.

"Fratello?" whispered Feliciano.

"Right here, Feli," Lovino said, smiling at their little routine.

"Buonanotte, Lovi."

"Buonanotte, Feli." Lovino held Feliciano close as the other fell asleep. He stayed awake, thoughts overflowing in his head. What would happen in the morning? They couldn't stay here; it was too dangerous. Lovino thought of every possible solution. Maybe...No, it was stupid, and Feliciano wouldn't agree to it. But he didn't have to know. With the decision made, though Lovino knew it would upset his brother to no ends, he fell into a fitful sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Lovino woke up early in the morning to a chill in the air. He opened his eyes with a yawn, stretching, when he felt a shift of weight next to him. Turning his head, Lovino found Feliciano curled up against him, his arms wrapped around his waist, his body trembling. From the cold or from what happened last night, Lovino couldn't quite tell.

Last night. It all flew back into his mind, the traffic, the...zombie, Feliciano's eyes shining with tears.

Yeah, last night was not a dream.

Lovino gently pushed his brother away, wrapping the blanket around Feliciano before standing up and leaving the room. He made his way downstairs, eyes lingering on the photos hanging on the walls. There were class photos and casual photos, photos of them at home and them on the road. In some, Lovino was smiling. In others, he was trying to get away. A majority of the photos were of him pulling away from Feliciano.

Lovino frowned, looking down as he jumped the last step and headed for the kitchen. As he checked to see if any of the lights were working - unfortunately the entire generator had gone out - Lovino couldn't help but glance outside.

It was a beautiful morning outside, without a single cloud in the sky. He could hear birds faintly chirping, fluttering away from their nests. There was no fog clinging to the ground, or rain pouring from the sky like in the books and movies about apocalypses.

"How?" whispered Lovino, grabbing a muffin from the bread holder. "How can everything seem so normal, when Hell has risen?" He took a bite out of the muffin, letting his eyes focused on a random point in the sky. He was going over his plan in his head. It was risky, and he would have to keep Feliciano from knowing about it, but there was barely a chance of it failing.

The plan was to bring Feliciano to their grandfather, Grandpa Arsenius, and leave him there, though for how long, the Italian didn't know. It seemed simple enough, and Lovino shouldn't have been worrying about it. But Grandpa Arsenius lived in North Carolina, and the Vargas brothers lived in the outskirts of New York. That was quite a distance to drive, let alone walk if the car were to falter. And with that much time, Feliciano was bound to realize that once they reached Grandpa Arsenius, Lovino wouldn't be staying. Their grandfather wasn't particularly fond of Lovino, and he adored Feliciano more. There was no doubt that he wouldn't let Lovino stay, even when the world was ending.

Lovino did the math in his head; thank God he remembered the time it took to drive to Charlotte, N.C.

It added up to eight hours. _Not bad_, he thought. _But the gas would last for at least an hour or two if I don't find a gas station along the way. Plus it wouldn't be safe to drive at night. And then if the car were to break down..._ He groaned in frustration. All these calculations were hurting his head. It was too early for this!

"Fratello?" Lovino turned his head to see Feliciano standing at the entrance of the kitchen, rubbing his eyes from sleep.

"Morning, Feli," Lovino greeted. Feliciano shuffled over to his brother, yawning.

"What time is it?" Lovino glanced at the kitchen clock, its batteries still keeping its utensil hands ticking.

"9:47 in the morning," he replied, handing Feliciano a muffin. The younger Italian took it, munching on it as he stared up at Lovino.

"Was it a dream?" he asked, hoping, praying that what happened last night was just a nightmare. Lovino didn't know how to answer that. Wait...of course he did! There was no point in sugar coating it. But he couldn't bring himself to tell his brother that it wasn't.

"What was a dream?" Lovino said, acting as if he had not the slightest clue as to what Feliciano meant. "Did you have another nightmare again?" Feliciano looked relieved, and he smiled, turning around and running out the kitchen.

"No, fratello, I'm fine! But I'm going to miss school! I have exams today, and school starts at ten! Hurry, hurry!" Lovino felt his heart shatter. Why did he do that? Why the hell did he lie?

"Feliciano...wait." Lovino left the kitchen to see Feliciano standing at the door, facing away from his brother. "Feliciano?"

"It wasn't a dream...was it?" Lovino sighed, stepping over.

"No. I'm sorry, I didn't...I don't know why I lied to you." Feliciano turned around, burying his face in Lovino's chest. Lovino held him close with another sigh. "Feli, I'm sorry."

"Why? Why now? Why is everything going bad now?" Feliciano started to cry, shaking his head. "It's not fair! Why is this happening?"

"Hey, calm down. I don't know why this is all happening, but I know we're going to make it. I have a plan." Feliciano looked up, sniffling. Lovino wiped away the other's tears, smiling gently. "We're going to Grandpa Arsenius, okay?"

"Nonno? But he lives in North Carolina!"

"I know that, but we're going to try anyway. Everything's going to be okay." Feliciano nodded, hugging Lovino tightly with a smile. He knew his older brother would do anything to keep him safe, and it scared him slightly, leaving home for such a far place. "We're going to leave soon, so pack what you need, and we'll head out." Feliciano nodded again, pulling away and going to his room.

Lovino glanced over at the china cabinet in the living room. From where he stood in the hall, he could see himself in the glass. Tired, shaken up, but alive. He was alive, and so was Feliciano. And he intended to keep it that way. Lovino walked over to the china cabinet, sliding a drawer open to reveal the gun case he had locked away. Feliciano had found it once and had a meltdown, believing his own brother was some sort of murderer. Lovino smiled at the memory as he lifted the case out of the drawer.

It had been a while since he last opened the dark green case, and he wished he didn't have to lay eyes on it ever again. There were just things he couldn't handle. As Lovino searched for the key behind the china plates and cups inside the cabinet, Feliciano was upstairs, running through both of the bedrooms to find items to pack away.

So far he had at least four outfits for each, their jackets since it was winter, two blankets, a lighter, two flashlights, three packs of twenty four double A batteries, a couple of books, and his journal he had received for his ninth birthday. Once Feliciano checked, double checked, and tripled checked all the items, he sat on the floor of his room and cracked open the leather bound book, pushing away the worn red bookmark from its yellowed pages. He started to read the last entry he had wrote, dated four years ago.

_March 17th_

_It's my birthday today! I'm fourteen now! Fratello is taking me out tonight, but we have to keep it a secret, since he's not supposed to drive until he's eighteen. Sh! I really love my brother. He's cared so much for me ever since we were little children! Even when Nonno Arsenius was drunk on all the wine, Lovi always made sure I was okay. He does so much for me. I wish I could repay him. _

_His birthday passed a few weeks ago, but he didn't let me do anything for him! It made me sad, because it's been so long since we've celebrated his birthday. But he did say 'Being with you on my birthday is enough.' ...I feel really bad for going out with my girlfriend that night! I wanted to stay home, but Lovi wouldn't let me, he made me go out. _

_I wish he wasn't so stubborn. He doesn't smile anymore. I wanna see him smile. I wanna hear him laugh, talk to me, dance and sing with me..._

_Oh! I hear Lovi downstairs! He's home now! I wonder where he went? _

_Addio! _

_Feliciano. _

Feliciano hadn't realized he was crying until he had finished reading the entry. He closed the journal and slipped it into the duffle bag near him, throwing in a pen and pencil as well. He stood up, wiping his eyes as he tried to erase any signs of him crying. That was the last journal entry he had ever written, and he knew why, but it was best not to think about it.

"Feliciano?" The young Italian looked up from staring at the bag. Lovino stood at the doorway, a knapsack containing food slung over his shoulder. "Are you okay?" Feliciano managed a small smile and nodded.

"Yeah, I was just, uh, resting a bit. Are we ready to go?" Lovino nodded, pointing at the duffle bag on the floor. "You've packed everything?"

"Yep!" Feliciano grabbed the strap of the duffle and lifted it up onto his shoulder. "I had packed clothes, blankets, flashlights..." He started to list off the items as the two headed downstairs. Lovino listened with a smile as he opened the front door, walking out with Feliciano. They walked over to the car, already unlocked with the engine running. Feliciano was about to set the duffle in the backseat, when he dropped it with a surprised "Oh!"

Lovino looked over the hood of the black 1967 Chevrolet Impala with a frown. "Is something wrong?" Feliciano didn't answer as he ran back inside the house. "Feli!" Lovino looked around nervously, biting his lip as the birds continued to sing. He sighed and went over to the other side, picking up the duffle and setting it in the backseat, next to the gun case. Feliciano came back out, clutching something in his hand. "What's that?" he asked.

"My necklace," Feliciano replied, opening up his hand to show the silver chain necklace that had the Italian flag and a golden locket. Lovino recognized the locket, its engraving worn from obvious rubbing.

"To my fratellino," murmured Lovino. Feliciano nodded, popping the locket open. A soft tune played, similar to a music box, and Feliciano showed Lovino the picture inside the locket. It was a picture of them, cuddled up against each other on the couch when they were still elementary students. On the inside of the locket was another phrase._ Ti amo, mio fratello._

"You gave it to me for my seventh birthday, remember?"

He did? He didn't remember ever doing that...then again, it had been eleven years since then. Even so, there was no way he would be able to say that he didn't remember. "Yeah, of course I do. How could I forget?" Feliciano grinned. When would the lies ever end today?

"I was so excited when you gave it to me. I would wear it every day, and you'd smile. I loved seeing you smile..." The tune stopped, and Feliciano snapped the locket shut. Lovino ruffled Feliciano's hair, laughing a bit.

"Alright, we can reminisce in the car. Let's go." Feliciano giggled and hopped in, snapping the necklace around his neck. He looked in the backseat to see if the duffle was there, when he caught sight of the case. Lovino got in the driver's seat, closing the car door and buckling himself in.

"Fratello..."

"I know, Feli. But just bear with it, okay? It won't happen again. Last time was a mistake. I promise...I'll be more careful." Feliciano nodded, sitting straight in the seat and buckling himself in. He stared at the house with a sad sigh. "Don't worry. We'll come back one day."

"But for now, arrivederci, house." Lovino put the car in reverse and backed up before putting it in drive and driving away. Feliciano played with the locket, opening it once or twice to hear the little tune play. He watched as empty house after empty house passed, the owners having left or God knows what. A few times he saw stumbling figures, making him grip the locket with a whimper.

Lovino noticed and reached over, taking his brother's hand in his. "We'll make it. I promise." Feliciano nodded, relaxing a bit now that he felt Lovino's hands, fingers intertwined. So many promises, though...Feliciano wondered how many of them his older brother was actually able to keep.


	4. Feliciano's fourteenth birthday

_**Bonus chapter because I might not be able to update on Tuesday. It depends on school, really.**_

* * *

_Oh! I hear Lovi downstairs! He's home now! I wonder where he went?_

_Addio!_

_Feliciano._

Feliciano closed his journal excitedly when he heard the front door close downstairs. Lovino was home again! He stood up, racing down the stairs to meet his brother. "Lovi, Lovi!"

The fifteen year old Italian smiled when he saw Feliciano come downstairs. "Hey there, Feli." He set down a dark green case, holding his arms out to hug his younger brother. Feliciano ran into his arms, laughing as Lovino spun him around.

"You're home again!"

"I was only gone for twenty minutes, at least."

"It's boring without you." Lovino rolled his eyes and chuckled, letting Feliciano go.

"I doubt that."

"It is! I hate it when you're not home."

"I can tell. So, Birthday boy, have you snuck around for your gifts?" Feliciano grinned and shook his head.

"Not this year! I promise not to snoop until you let me." Lovino narrowed his eyes playfully, not sure if he should take his brother's word. But it was hard to doubt the smiling ball of energy in front of him, especially with his face lit up so innocently.

"I'll take your word, but I'll know if the gifts have been moved." Feliciano nodded, glancing at the long case on the floor.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing at it.

"That," Lovino said, picking it up. "Is tonight's final surprise."

"Can I see?"

"Nope. Not until later tonight!" Lovino grinned and walked over to the living room with the case. Feliciano whined, following his brother.

"Please?" he begged, hopping on the balls of his feet. "Please, fratello?" Lovino shook his head as he opened the drawer to the china cabinet, laying the case inside.

"You can see it later." Lovino slid the drawer shut. "And don't try to sneak a peek inside. I have the key." The younger Italian sighed, defeated, and flopped onto the couch. Lovino headed for the kitchen, when he heard Feliciano call after him.

"Hey, Lovi?"

"Yeah?"

"Ti amo." Lovino turned around to see Feliciano sitting up with a big smile on his face. And Lovino couldn't help but smile back. He loved everything about his younger brother. From his art skills to his smile, Feliciano was an amazing person. Lovino knew that he sometimes spoke harshly to Feliciano, and that there were some days that he just wanted nothing to do with him, but he would never hate him. It was just ridiculous to hate someone as sweet as Feliciano.

"Ti amo, Feliciano." Lovino walked into the kitchen, the smile still on his face.

Evening's dinner was gnocchi that Lovino had cooked - though it took longer than usual since Feliciano kept trying to help - and a glass of red wine. Each year Feliciano insisted on a simple dinner, and each year Lovino complied. The cake each year was the same. A simple chocolate cake with a cherry on top. Feliciano wanted to keep his birthdays simple for Lovino, since it was he who set everything up, with Grandpa Arsenius helping occasionally.

After dinner and each had a slice of cake, Lovino let Feliciano hunt for his gifts, following him around the house in amusement.

"Cold," Lovino said as Feliciano stepped inside the bathroom. Feliciano turned around and ran down the hall. "Warm!" Feliciano stopped, backing up with a giggle. Lovino grinned as Feliciano neared the door to their break room. "Warmer, warmer..." Feliciano opened the door and went in, Lovino following.

The room was painted a light blue, with a desk in the corner and a couch pushed up against the left side of the wall. Feliciano walked over to the window, pushing the white curtains away with a gasp. "Lovi..."

"I know how much of an artist you are," Lovino began, leaning against the wall. "And I kept telling myself that a sketchbook can't last forever." Feliciano ran his fingers down the wood of the easel in front of him, his eyes drifting towards the packet of canvases leaning against the window along with a pack of brushes and paint. There was a wooden palette hanging from the top of the easel, Feliciano's initials engraved at the bottom.

"Thank you..." Feliciano turned around, grinning from ear to ear. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He ran over to Lovino and hugged him tightly. Lovino laughed, hugging him back.

"Don't thank me yet, you still have seven more gifts to find!" Feliciano drew back and ran off again.

In the end Feliciano found all of his gifts in under thirty minutes. He somehow always managed to find his gifts in record time. Lovino had a feeling that Feli found a few of the gifts before he had came home, but he didn't complain. It was worth seeing the look of excitement in Feliciano's eyes as he found a new cookbook, two albums from his favorite singer, and a copy of _Wuthering Heights, A Tale of Two Cities,_ and _Macbeth_.

"How did you find _Macbeth_?" Feliciano asked, astonished. He enjoyed reading, and especially enjoyed Shakespeare's works. He always wanted to read _Macbeth_, but could never find a copy in libraries.

"A pawn shop had it," Lovino answered, sitting on the couch in the living room. "I pawned off a few items of mine." Feliciano stared wide eyed at his brother.

"Fratello!"

"What?"

"Why would you do that?"

"I knew how much you wanted to read it, so I gave them the rings I owned."

"Antonio's rings?" Lovino fell silent. "Lovi..."

"It's in the past. He's in the past. Look, I haven't even given you your last book." Lovino stood up and went to the china cabinet, standing on his toes to reach the top, and grabbed a book. He turned around to Feliciano and showed him the book. Feliciano's eyes widened in surprise.

"_Alice in Wonderland_."

"It's amazing what you can find up in the attic." Lovino smiled, handing the book to Feliciano. "I was digging around the other day and found it at the bottom of a box." Feliciano took it, cracking it open with a small smile. "It's still in good condition. You always knew how to treat books."

"Thank you, Lovi." Feliciano stood up from the couch and hugged Lovino. "You do so much for me. I wish there was something I could do in return!"

"Just stay happy. It's all I'm asking from you." Lovino hugged his brother tightly. "Hey, are you ready for your final gift?" Feliciano nodded. "Good. There's an outfit on your bed. Change into that, and then we'll head out." Feliciano pulled away, kissing Lovino on the cheek before running upstairs. Lovino smiled and followed, going to his own room to get ready.

A few minutes later he came out of his room, dressed in a camouflage pattern shirt and jeans. Feliciano stepped out into the hall, slightly confused but also excited, wearing the same outfit as Lovino. Lovino grinned and handed Feliciano a bright orange hat.

"Today's the day I take you out to hunt."

"Huh? Really?" Lovino nodded. Feliciano grinned, trying not to jump with joy. He let out a squeak of joy, hugging his brother yet again. "I'm so excited now! Wait." He drew back to look at Lovino. "Is that what was in the case?"

"Guns, yes. I'll teach you how to hold a small gun and how to shoot. Maybe next week we can bump up to hunting small animals." Feliciano again squeaked, this time jumping up and down. The two headed downstairs, Lovino going to the china cabinet to get the gun case. They left the house and headed to the car. Lovino unlocked the car, setting the case down in the backseat before hopping into the driver's seat. Feliciano slid into the passenger's side, his knee hopping with energy. "Excited?" Lovino asked.

"Yeah, and also a bit nervous," Feliciano admitted. "What if something bad happens?"

"Nothing bad will happen. Just remember to keep your hat on, in case there are other hunters. They might mistake you for a deer." Feliciano whimpered, shuddering at the thought of accidentally being shot.

"Have you ever been shot by accident?" he asked as they pulled out of the driveway.

"Well, I've been shot _at_ by accident," Lovino said. "But that was because the damn bastardo was drunk." Feliciano laughed a bit, looking out the window as they drove. He was nervous, but knew that Lovino would keep him safe while they hunted.

"Hey, Lovi, have you ever caught anything?"

"Rabbits, turkeys, and deer, though I don't keep the meat. I did shoot a dog once when I mistook him for a wolf." Feliciano gasped, making Lovino glance over. "Something wrong?"

"A _dog_? Lovi, how could you?"

"It was an accident!"

"Did you try to save him?"

"Well, uh, it was sort of a fatal shot."

"Lovi!"

"Well, geez, I'm sorry!" Feliciano pouted, glaring out the window. Lovino rolled his eyes and drove, his eyes on the road.

It had been a minute or two of silence, when Lovino heard Feliciano ask in a quiet voice "Did you at least bury it?"

"Yeah," Lovino replied. "I buried him underneath an oak tree. I can show you the burial area if you want."

"Yes, please." Lovino smiled and reached over, taking Feliciano's hand.

"I have a feeling you're going to be a great shot." Feliciano grinned.

"Well, I am going to learn from you!" The two laughed, their hands resting together on the armrest between them.

It wasn't for another hour until they reached the hunting woods. Feliciano hopped out and stretched, looking up at the starry sky. "Will we be able to hunt so late?" he asked, turning to Lovino. The other Italian got the gun case from the car and nodded as he locked the doors.

"Yeah, I brought flashlights. Like I said earlier, keep your hat on so no one accidentally shoots you." Feliciano nodded and followed Lovino to a cabin. Once inside, Lovino started to show him the basics: how to hold a small gun, how to load it, and how to take it apart and put it back together. Feliciano was a fast learner, taking apart a small gun and quickly putting it back together.

Lovino then decided it was a good time for practice shots. The two headed outside and walked on a path into the woods. Lovino led his younger brother to a clearing, pointing at a tree that had a target nailed on. "That's your target. We're going to practice on that."

Lovino showed Feliciano how to shoot, standing behind him as Feliciano pulled the trigger. He knew that the kickback would be strong, and was there as Feliciano stumbled back. "Whoa!"

"I gotcha, don't worry!" Lovino caught Feliciano and chuckled. "Forgot to tell you about the kickback. But with a couple more shots, you'll get used to it."

After a while, Lovino walked off, telling Feliciano to stay in the clearing until he returned. As Lovino walked around, keeping an eye out for any game, he listened for the gunshots from Feliciano. Everything was fine, until the shots stopped. Lovino frowned and listened. There wasn't another gunshot. "Feli?" He headed back to the clearing. "Feli!" He started to run, when he saw something move to his left.

Lovino stopped and crouched, raising his rifle. The target moved again before staying still. Lovino took a deep breath and pulled the trigger. With a soft zip, the bullet hit the target...and Lovino heard a loud shriek. He recognized it as Feliciano's.

Dropping the rifle, Lovino ran to where he had heard the shriek. He found Feliciano on the ground where he had shot, clutching his bleeding shoulder. "Feliciano!" Lovino knelt down, trying not to panic. He had shot his brother. He had shot his own brother.

"I saw a rabbit," Feliciano mumbled with a wince, looking up at his older brother with teary eyes. "And I had went to follow it, but my hat dropped and I couldn't find it. Then something hit my arm and it hurts. It really hurts..."

"I know, I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was you." Lovino bit his lip, looking away when Feliciano's face fell.

"You?" he whispered. "You shot me?"

"It was by accident! I swear I didn't mean it!"

"I...I just want to go home, please." Feliciano's voice cracked, and he gripped his shoulder tighter with a wince. Lovino picked him up, walking back to where he had dropped his rifle and picking that up.

"I'm so, so, sorry, Feli."

"It's okay...Let's just go home."

"After I fix you up." Lovino carried Feliciano back to the cabin. Lovino went in and set Feliciano gently on the counter in the kitchen. He walked away, coming back with a first aid kit. Feliciano took off the shirt, showing the bullet hole that definitely needed suturing.

"Fratello?"

"Yeah, Feli?" Lovino looked up at Feliciano as he pressed a rag against the wound to stop the bleeding.

"I don't like those guns," Feliciano muttered.

"I'll lock them away when we go home. They won't be seen again."

"Promise?" Lovino smiled, kissing Feliciano on the nose.

"Promise. Now, let's get you cleaned up."


	5. Chapter 4

"Feli, hey, wake up." Feliciano whined as he was shaken awake. Despite the dream being a bad memory, it was better than what was happening now. Lovino flicked his nose lightly. "Wake up, damn it."

"Fine, fine." Feliciano cracked an eye, glancing over.

"Rest stop," Lovino said. Feliciano looked up ahead, rubbing his eyes. They were at a gas station, seemingly empty except for a single car parked outside. They were in the town; Feliciano recognized the two shops flanking both sides of the station.

"How long have we been driving?"

"An hour, hour and a half at best." Lovino got out of the car, Feliciano following, who looked around. The entire place was deserted, shop doors open, cars abandoned on the streets.

"It's like a ghost town," he mumbled, staying close to Lovino as he headed inside. Feliciano glanced down, gasping quietly as he caught sight of the silver gun hidden in Lovino's pocket. "Fratello!" Lovino silenced him with a glare, taking his hand. The cashier at the counter was a woman in her twenties, with a purple streak in her black hair and a piercing in her lip. She gave the two brothers an empty stare as they entered. Lovino let go of Feliciano's hand.

"Wait here, okay?" Feliciano nodded as Lovino walked off. He looked around, his eyes nervously flitting away from the woman who kept looking at him.

"How?"

Feliciano nearly yelped. She had been so quiet, he didn't expect her to say anything. "I'm sorry?" he said, stepping cautiously over to the counter.

"How did you survive? Those fuckers overran the entire town last night, and anyone who were lucky were able to hoof it out of here this morning." Feliciano flinched at the swear. He wasn't used to strong language. His brother did say damn and shit, with the occasional bastard while on the road, but Lovino always kept it mild when around Feli.

"Um, I stayed inside. What about you?" The woman scoffed, a smirk on her face.

"I had night shift last night, so I brought the covers down and stayed in here. The screams were horrible. Mixed in with those monsters, crunching on flesh, slurping up the people like soup." Feliciano cringed, not wanting that particular image in his head. The woman leaned over the counter, her dark eyes gleaming with excited curiosity. "Did you see them?"

"See who?" stuttered out Feli, completely on edge again.

"The zombies. I saw one when I was locking the door yesterday. Oh, his face was absolutely dead. It was already rotting away, and his eyes were such a creepy color. And his teeth had strings of flesh, and there was blood _everywhere_." She grinned, as if it was totally normal to see a cannibalistic monster. "So, did you see one?"

Feliciano glanced around for Lovino, wanting to leave, but his brother was out of sight. He was uncomfortable, though, in remembering what happened the night before. With a heavy sigh he nodded, looking back at the woman. "Yeah."

"Sweet. How close?"

"Well...It was in my house. I...I thought it was a person and let it in. Actually, it jumped in through the window." The woman's eyes widened, and she laughed, a huge smile on her face.

"No way! What happened next?" Feliciano smiled nervously, leaning against the counter as he retold what happened with the zombie. The cashier hung onto every word, completely fascinated.

"And then I ran to my room before it could get me," Feliciano said.

"That is so sick. How did you, like, not get eaten?" Lovino then walked up, obviously having heard everything. The woman took the pack of bottled water he had brought to the counter with a wink. "I see, I see. Your lover came to the rescue, huh?" Feliciano's cheeks heated up, and he tried to say something, when Lovino cut in.

"We're brothers," he said. "And it really shouldn't be any of your business."

"Lovi, don't be so rude!" The woman shrugged as she checked the water.

"Clean. And it's on the house, 'cause who needs money now? Plus your brother entertained me." Lovino thanked her, taking the pack. "Pumps are manual. Gas and go."

"What about you?" Feliciano asked.

"Me?"

"Yeah. Aren't you going home to, y'know, your family?"

"Feli, it isn't any of our business." The woman shrugged, messing with her lip piercing.

"Nah, it's cool. I don't have any family. Not nearby, anyway."

"You can come with us!" suggested Feliciano, not noticing Lovino's glare.

"Sounds great, but I can't. I gotta keep the fort down here, in case anyone else passes through. It gives me a sense of purpose. Like I can actually make a difference just by keeping this place open for survivors." She laughed slightly. "Crazy, ain't it?" Feliciano smiled, shaking his head.

"Not at all. Will you be okay?"

"Of course I will. I wasn't called Tough Tracy back in high school for nothing." Feliciano leaned over and gave Tracy a hug.

"Be safe. When everything is over, we need to go out for a drink!" Tracy hugged back, grinning.

"That'd be awesome. Only if your bro allows it, though." Lovino shrugged, staring at the town outside.

"Doesn't bother me any," he said. He just wanted to leave already. They were losing daylight. Feliciano pulled away and smiled brightly at Tracy.

"Then it's settled! We'll all celebrate when everything fixes up." Tracy nodded and waved goodbye as the two left. "Addio, Tracy!"

"Sayonara, kiddos," Tracy said, grinning.

Feliciano got in the car and waited for Lovino to fill the tank. Once everything was okay, Lovino got in and started the car, driving off.

"She was pretty cute," Feliciano said with a sigh.

"She's dead in a week, two weeks tops," Lovino grumbled.

"Lovino!"

"It's the truth, Feli. Right now it's move or die." Feliciano frowned, looking away.

"It doesn't have to be," he mumbled.

"This isn't a dream, Feliciano. This is real life. You can't hide from it."

"You're scaring me..." Lovino glanced over at his brother, who was trying hard not to cry. "You make it sound like we're going to die."

"We are if you keep acting like this." Lovino hadn't meant to say it. Well, he did, but it came out too harshly. Feliciano whimpered, covering his mouth to try and quiet his sobs. "No, Feli, I didn't mean it like that."

"I'm sorry..."

"Feliciano," Lovino reached over and took his hand. "I didn't mean to say it like that. I didn't even mean to say it at all." Feliciano looked down, closing his eyes. "We'll make it through this. We'll go to Nonno's home, and everything will be okay."

"Together?" Lovino closed his eyes briefly. He shouldn't lie, he should not lie. But...Feliciano couldn't be told. He'd freak and then things would get difficult.

"Together. I promise."

"Fratello...can you tell me a story?"

"Sure. Which one do you have in mind?"

"My favorite." Lovino blinked. Feliciano's favorite? He didn't remember Feliciano having a favorite story.

"Care to refresh my memory?" Lovino said with a soft laugh. "You have a lot of favorites."

"No, I don't!" countered the younger Italian. "I have only..." He huffed in annoyance, realizing it was stupid to argue. "Okay, fine. It's the one about the twins." Lovino nodded. _Now_ he remembered.

"Long ago, when love was such a strange thing, there were two people in the world that felt it. These two people were so in love with each other that they made sure they were okay every hour of the day. Everyone in their little town knew that these two were abnormal, and they hated it. They thought that no one should be that happy."

"Because they thought it was selfish," piped up Feliciano.

"That's right. So the leader of the town had everyone taunt them. No one sold to them, no one spoke to them. Eventually the man and woman had a child. No one helped the poor baby as winter came and she caught yellow fever. The baby died only a month after her birth. The woman was devastated. She confronted her lover one day."

"She said she didn't want to live in the town anymore!"

"Are you going to let me finish?"

"Sorry."

"But yes, she said 'I don't want to live in a town where we can't buy clothing or food.' The man had no idea how to answer. They were low on money, so there was no way to leave the town. 'Let's go to sleep,' said the man. 'We'll talk about this in the morning.' And the two gave each other a kiss and went to bed. But the morning never came, for the townspeople had set the house aflame in the middle of the night, wanting to get rid of the 'sick' couple. The woman and man woke up to smoke in their room."

"That's scary," Feliciano muttered.

"It is. The woman turned to the man and said 'I don't want to die. Not like this.' So the two ran all the way up to the top floor, climbing out through a window and onto the roof. It was such a high height that the townspeople thought they were dolls. The man gave the woman one last kiss before they leapt to their death and freedom."

"That's so sad," Feliciano said. "But that isn't the ending of the story!" Lovino chuckled.

"You're right. It's said that the two were born again as twins. These two twins were very close, and they had one fear in common. They were both terrified of heights. It's rumored that the twins were the lovers from the past." Feliciano sat in silence for a moment, tracing little circles on Lovino's hand.

"Do you think it's true?" Lovino shrugged.

"Probably not. It's just a story."

"But if it was true, what would that mean for us?" Lovino looked over.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean...never mind." Feliciano sighed and looked out the window. Lovino frowned but went against better judgement to ask questions. "Fratello?"

"Right here, Feli."

"Ti amo, Lovi."

"Ti amo, Feli." Feliciano closed his eyes, wishing things would make sense. He was a bit sad, admittedly. Lovino hadn't remembered the story. And he knew he didn't have so many favorites, only that one story. Lovi was forgetting things. What if he forgot about his own little brother? What if he just left him behind? What if- "Stop." Feliciano opened his eyes, looking over.

"Ve?" he mumbled, confused. His cheeks grew red. He said_ ve._ It had been so long since he had made that sound that it was embarrassing now.

"Your leg is kicking and you keep mumbling 've.' You're nervous. Whatever you're thinking, stop. You're going to be okay. I swear on my life I'll protect you." Feliciano stared at his brother, the tears starting to fall. Lovino looked over and smiled. "I swear, I won't let anyone ever hurt you." Feliciano smiled slightly, wiping at his eyes with a sniff.

"Thank you, Lovi."


	6. Chapter 5

_**Oh, look, a new updating schedule. Let's try every Friday because school just got hetic. (As if it never was.)**_

* * *

Feliciano was reading _Alice in Wonderland_ when he felt the car drift slowly off the road. He glanced up, eyes widening when he saw the road fade to dirt. "Lovino?" Trees started to grow closer to the edge of the road, and if they didn't stop... "Lovi!"

The brakes were slammed, the tires screeching for a grip in the soft ground. Feliciano covered his face, tensing up for the supposed crash. When he was positive that he wasn't compacted into bones, Feliciano looked up. He sighed with relief, looking over at Lovino, whose hands were gripped tightly around the wheel. "Lovi?"

"I'm fine," he said, loosening his grip.

"You're tired. You need to rest."

"I said I'm fine."

"Lovino." The older Italian sighed.

"Fine. But I'm not trusting you to drive." The two got out of the car and sat in the backseat, moving the gun case and duffle bag out of the way. Feliciano curled up against Lovino, sighing happily as he felt his brother's arms wrap around him. "Want me to tell you another story?"

"No. I just want you to rest." Feliciano nuzzled Lovino's neck, sighing again. Lovino gently pulled his fingers through Feliciano's hair, tugging through small knots. "You scared me when we were drifting."

"I'm sorry. I had closed my eyes for a second. Guess I dozed off." He pressed his lips to Feli's head. "I'll be careful, I promise."

"Mio fratello," Feliciano mumbled. Lovino smiled, running his hand down Feliciano's back, stopping at his waist. He closed his eyes with a sigh, falling asleep with ease. Feliciano stayed awake, watching the clouds pass by. He traced the outlines of Lovino's veins in his arm, humming quietly. He hadn't been about the story. It was really sweet, but it had him wondering.

Feliciano had listened enough times to Sex Ed to know it wasn't possible for his birthday to be so close to his brother's. A little as two months, or maybe three, would've made sense, but being born a year later was weird. There wouldn't be enough time for his mother to have him after Lovino. And yet just two weeks after Lovino's first birthday, he was born. How? That couldn't be possible! Wait, no, maybe it could...

Feliciano groaned, covering his eyes. It was too much to think about, and it made him a bit nauseous. He looked up at Lovino, resting his head on his brother's arm. The thought of not actually being related to Lovino scared him. He knew he was overthinking things - okay, so maybe not being Lovino's brother was a bit too far - but he really wanted reassurance on this.

"I'll ask him when he wakes up," Feliciano mumbled. He tried to go to sleep, but it was impossible. Finally he gave up and decided to sit outside. Feliciano sat up up and slowly opened the door, trying not to wake Lovino. He stumbled out, grabbing a water bottle. Sitting on the trunk of the car, Feliciano stared up at the sky, sipping the water.

He took a deep breath, letting the air fill his lungs. It was quiet, no cars passing on the road. "It's so pretty," he murmured. "Almost as if everything is okay." Feliciano sighed, rubbing his eyes. After sitting in the silence for a few minutes, he started to grow tense. Feliciano looked around, sliding off the trunk. "Hello?" He took a step forward, onto the road. "Is there anyone there?"

There was the cock of a gun, and Feliciano felt the cold metal pressed against the back of his head. "Any weapons?" asked an unfamiliar voice. Feliciano slowly shook his head, eyes wide with terror. The voice had an Ukrainian accent, thick and intimidating, but also feminine. "Turn around," ordered the voice. "Don't try anything." Feliciano obeyed, biting his lip.

He came face to face with a tall woman with short blonde hair and stone cold blue eyes. She wore a white shirt tucked into her jeans, and tied to her waist was a dark blue bow. "Is that your car?" Feliciano's eyes cut to the Impala, trying to figure out a way to alert Lovino without putting the both of them in danger. "Answer me!" He gulped and nodded, trembling. "Are you alone?" Feliciano didn't dare answer. "I said," The woman pressed the gun closer to Feliciano's head. "Are you alone?"

"How about you turn around and see?" The woman whipped around, but Lovino grabbed her arms, twisting them around her back. She let out a yelp, trying to get away from his hold. "Drop the gun," he growled. "Right now." She did, and Lovino kicked it toward Feliciano, who picked it up with shaking hands. "Next time you want to stick a gun in someone's face, check your surroundings."

"Let go of me!" she hissed, trying to yank away. Lovino tightened his grip.

"Shut up. You'll attract every last one of those biters."

"Brother! Brother, help!" Lovino covered the woman's mouth, pulling her to the car. Feliciano was about to follow, when something caught his eye, off to the right.

"Lovi, watch out!" Lovino let the woman go and ducked as a man stepped into view, shooting at the Italian. The woman ran to the man's side with a huff.

"It took you long enough," she said, turning to the two brothers.

"It was difficult to cut, da?" spoke the man. He had pale blond hair and eyes dark enough to be purple. While the woman had an accent that had her speaking in high notes, the man had a Russian accent, sending shivers down the Vargas brothers' spines. He wore a tan coat with a white scarf that trailed to the ground.

"He had almost shot me."

"I can tell. Now we shoot them." Lovino stepped over to Feliciano, grabbing his hand.

"Not both, though," said the woman. "Just one. So the other can suffer." Feliciano hid behind Lovino, utterly terrified. There was no way they could outrun the strangers, and if they shot, there was a chance they would miss.

"The little one?"

"The big one. He seems to be the protection." The woman walked over and grabbed Feliciano, yanking him away.

"Let go of my brother!" Lovino stepped over, but the woman grabbed the gun out of Feliciano's hand, pointing it at his head.

"One move and he's gone. Drop your gun."

"Lovino..." Feliciano wanted to run to his brother, but the gun pressed against his temple stopped him. Lovino gritted his teeth and tossed the gun down.

"Just look away, Feliciano. Everything will be okay." Feliciano's eyes widened. Was his brother actually giving up?

"No! Please, don't do this!" Feliciano turned to the woman with wide eyes. "Please, I'm begging you! Leave my brother alone! I don't want to lose him!"

"Raina, shut him up," the Russian barked. Raina glared at Feliciano.

"Listen, kid, if you want to live, keep your mouth shut."

"I don't want to live if I don't have my fratello!"

"Feli, keep quiet!" Lovino shouted. "You'll be fine!"

"No I won't! You're all I have left! If I lost you, I'd...I'd..." Feliciano broke down. He crumpled to the ground, crying. His heart pounded loudly in his chest. He didn't want to lose Lovino. He'd be completely lost. Lovino ran over, kneeling down and hugging Feliciano, trying to calm him down.

"Ivan..." Raina said something to her brother in a different language, to which he replied with an angry sentence.

"It's okay, Feli. Don't cry." Feliciano buried his face in Lovino's shoulder, sobbing.

"Don't. Don't go. Please, don't go."

"I won't, I promise." Raina glared at Ivan, gesturing at the two.

"We can't take away his life." Ivan opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "Look at him. He cares for his little brother. You can't do that. What would Natalya say?" Ivan fell silent, dropping his gun. He walked over to Lovino, who instinctively held Feliciano closer.

"My sister is right. We won't kill you. It's not what our sister would have wanted."

"What happened to her?" whispered Feliciano, looking up.

"We let Natalya wander off. She didn't return for a while, not even when hell broke loose. Raina...found her body last night." Ivan closed his eyes with a sigh before opening them again. "You are the older brother, da?" Lovino nodded, standing with Feliciano. Ivan looked over to Feliciano, who again hid behind his older brother. "Take care of your brother. Don't let him go a day without being loved."

"I won't," Lovino said. Ivan nodded and turned away, picking up his gun. He and Raina waved goodbye before disappearing into the trees. Lovino turned to his brother. "Are you okay?" Feliciano hugged him tightly.

"Yeah...Lovino..."

"It's okay. You're okay." They went back to the car, Lovino getting into the driver's seat. Feliciano sat in the passenger's seat, rubbing the locket around his neck.

"Lovi?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't want you to go."

"I won't go anywhere, Feli. I promise I'll protect you." Feliciano took his brother's hand, relaxing slightly. "Ti amo, fratello."

"Ti amo, Lovino."

Lovino was still holding onto Feliciano's hand as he drove. Feliciano had his eyes closed, dozing peacefully, when the car lurched. He opened his eyes lazily with a moan. "What the hell?" Lovino let go of Feliciano's hand and placed it on the wheel. The car lurched again, this time causing the two to lurch with it.

"Is something wrong?" asked Feliciano, suddenly worried.

"There shouldn't be," answered Lovino, trying to accelerate. With a cough and a sputter, the car stopped moving. "No...No, no, no!" Lovino got out of the car, turning around to Feliciano to say "Stay in the car." He closed the door and went to the front of the Impala, lifting the hood. He checked the engine, his eyes scanning across the oiled rods and wires. Nothing was out of place.

Confused, Lovino closed the hood, when something caught his eye. He knelt down, looking under the car.

There. That was the problem. A steady trickle of gasoline was pouring from a tube - a cut tube. The sharp scent of gas hit Lovino, and he had to stand up. He was furious. There was no way the tube could have been cut back in the town! They were fine earlier! Then who...

"Lovino?" The Italian huffed, glaring at Feliciano in the car. The younger brother frowned, his hand on the handle of the car door. "What's wrong?"

"Our gas is cut," growled Lovino.

"What? How?"

"My guess would have to be on those two we met not too long ago. That guy must have snipped it while the girl had us busy."

"What will we do now?" Lovino bit his lip. This set back his plan for about a week.

"We'll have to walk," Lovino said. He expected Feliciano to whine, or even protest a bit, but his brother surprised him. Feliciano got out of the car, going to the back and grabbing the duffle bag without a word. Lovino got the gun case, closing the door.

"So goodbye car?" asked Feliciano. Lovino nodded. "Arrivederci, then, Impala." Feliciano smiled a bit. Lovino wrapped his arm around Feliciano's waist, holding him close with a smile.

"Who knows? One day we might be able to come back around and get it." Feliciano laughed.

"Fratello, you know that's impossible."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." The two began to walk, a gun in Lovino's hand, a book in Feliciano's. "Everything we leave behind right now, we leave for good. And...we might be able to get new ones, like a new house, a new car, a new life. But they won't replace our old memories." Lovino kissed Feliciano's temple, sighing softly as he remembered his little brother wasn't so little.

"I know, I know. But still, false hope is better than dreaded doom."

"I suppose that's true. I'm still going to miss our home." Feliciano rested his head against Lovino's shoulder.

"Home is where the heart is, you know."

"Lovino, that is really sweet, too sweet for you!"

"Ah, shut it, you idiota." Feliciano laughed, and Lovino swore that it was the best thing to ever hear. It proved that, no matter what happened, they would still have even a bit of happiness between the two of them. And Lovino wouldn't trade that for the world.


	7. Murderer? No, couldn't be

_**This bonus chapter is just to show where Feliciano's trust in his brother starts to waver. He still loves him, of course. He's just cautious now after what happened.**_

* * *

Lovino sat on the couch one Friday afternoon, flipping through a magazine. He had gotten off work early that day and was waiting for Feliciano to come home from school. The seventeen year old heard the door open, and he smiled as he heard Feliciano singing. Lovino stood up from the couch, hiding behind the wall as he waited for Feliciano to pass.

"Buono! Tomato, buono! Tomato, Buono buono, ooh! Tomato! Red on the bottom and green on the top, toma- toma- tomato!" Feliciano walked past the living room, a little hop in his steps as he sang. Lovino jumped out of his hiding spot, lifting his younger brother up with a hug.

"Ciao, idiota!" he said with a laugh. Feliciano squeaked in surprise, giggling when he realized it was Lovino.

"Fratello!" Feliciano hugged him, grinning. "You scared me!"

"Well, it's my job to scare you," said Lovino.

"You're home early, too. Does that mean you can help me cook?" Lovino nodded. The younger Italian jumped up with joy as he ran upstairs to put away his backpack. Lovino smiled, heading into the kitchen.

"So how was your day today?" Lovino asked from the kitchen.

"It was good!" said Feliciano as he hopped down the steps with some textbooks to put away on the coffee table.

"No one giving you a hard time?"

"Um...just one person, but it's okay." Feliciano set the textbooks down. Lovino looked into the living room with a frown.

"One? What is he doing?"

"Calling me names, shoving me. But I can handle it!"

"What's his name?"

"Kiku. He's an exchange student from Japan."

"Do I need to have a word with the school."

"No!" The response was too quick. Lovino narrowed his eyes, stepping into the living room.

"Feliciano...What else is this Kiku doing?"

"Nothing, just calling me names. It's fine." Lovino grabbed the arm of his brother.

"Tell me the truth." Feliciano shook him off, looking down.

"...He and another boy, Ludwig, taunt me every day about how I don't have a mom or dad, and that you'll kill me one day."

"Oh, hell no. Monday morning, I'm going to the school and talking to the teacher about this."

"Lovino, no! Please don't!" Feliciano looked at Lovino with pleading eyes. "If they found out I told you, they'd hurt me!"

"They're already hurting you! I'm not going to sit here while my brother is being bullied!"

"Please, fratello, I'm fine! Just...do one thing for me. Please?" Lovino huffed, nodding. "You won't...ever kill me, right?"

"This is the exact reason why I need to talk to the school about this!"

"Just answer me!"

"No, I won't ever kill you. I won't hurt you. I'm your brother, damn it! And the fact that you believe them is pissing me off!" Lovino stomped back to the kitchen, furious now. Feliciano sighed, rubbing his eyes.

As Feliciano put his books away, he saw he didn't have a certain worksheet from earlier that morning. Where had he put it? He walked over to the china cabinet, looking through the glass. It wasn't there. "Feli?" called Lovino from the kitchen. "What are you doing?"

"Just looking for something," replied Feliciano, kneeling down to slide the drawer of the cabinet open. His eyes widened when he saw a strange green case inside. "What the..." He tried to open it, finding it locked. Disappointed, Feliciano looked around for a key. He eventually found it inside a teacup and unlocked the case. Lifting it open, he almost screamed in terror at the sight of the guns inside.

"What are you looking for?" asked Lovino as he headed to the living room. Feliciano scrambled up, shaking. He whipped around, taking a few steps back into the corner. "Feliciano?" Lovino's eyes drifted to the open drawer, where the gun case was. "How the hell did you open that?" He quickly walked over, snapping the case shut.

"Why do you have guns?" Feliciano whispered, scared out of his mind. Was his brother a murderer? "Lovi, why do you have guns?"

"Don't you remember?" Lovino turned to face Feliciano. "Your fourteenth birthday I took you hunting." Feliciano shook his head frantically. He didn't remember that.

"You're lying...You are a murderer!" Feliciano started to yell it out. Lovino had to grab him and drag him upstairs, trying to get him to shut up. If the neighbors heard, it wouldn't mean a pleasant visit.

"Feli, shut it! I am not a murderer!"

"Let go of me! Let go, let go, let go!" Feliciano tried to pull away, failing miserably. Lovino huffed, dragging him to the guest room. He shut the door, locking it before turning to Feliciano. The other was standing in the corner, tears streaking his face. "Don't hurt me...please..."

The look on his brother's face broke Lovino's heart. His own brother was scared of him. He never wanted to see the look of fear on Feliciano's face. He didn't mean any harm. "Feli...I'm not a murderer. Those guns were from the hunting trip on your fourteenth birthday. Remember? I had accidentally shot you."

"I don't remember that," mumbled Feliciano. Lovino sighed, stepping over to Feliciano, who took a step back.

"It's okay; it was two years ago, after all. Just know that I won't hurt you. I've never killed anyone in my life, okay?" Feliciano nodded, looking down. "Don't you trust your own fratello? I'm hurt."

"No, it's not that!" Feliciano looked up, eyes wide. He didn't want to make Lovino sad! "I'm sorry!" He hugged Lovino tightly, crying. "I'm sorry, Lovi! Don't hate me!" Lovino held Feliciano close.

"I don't hate you, Feli. I never will. We all make mistakes." Feliciano nodded, stepping away. He still didn't trust Lovino, though. It was just some stupid paranoid thought that stuck with him throughout the rest of the evening.

Later that night, Feliciano heard noises in the kitchen. Going downstairs, he found Lovino with a knife, making him scream. Lovino dropped the knife, startled, and whipped around. "Feli, dannazione, zitto! _Damn it, shut up!_"

"What are you doing?" cried Feliciano, backing up.

"I was making a sandwich until you came down, you idiot!" Lovino glared at Feliciano, grabbing the knife and putting it on the counter. "You're annoying the shit out of me, Feliciano, and if you don't calm down, I swear to God."

"You'll do what, kill me?" Lovino stiffened. "You'll do anything to silence anybody! You're a damn murderer!"

"I am not a murderer, now shut the hell up!"

"You are! You're lying to me! I hate you!" Lovino didn't think. He snatched the knife back up and grabbed Feliciano, holding the knife close to his neck. A moment passed, neither of them moving. It took only a few seconds for Lovino to register just what he was doing. Feliciano tried to pull away, whimpering as he felt the blade dig into his skin. "Lovi..."

Lovino dropped the knife, stumbling back. "Feliciano, I...I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean to hurt you..." Feliciano kicked the knife away, trying to hide his sobs. Lovino covered his face, leaning against the fridge. He was still mad about what Feliciano had told him earlier about the boys. Being violent wasn't changing anything.

"You would kill me, wouldn't you?" whispered Feliciano.

"No! I would never do that!"

"You would. Anyone would. _Everyone_ would."

"Feli..." Lovino sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Just go back to bed. We'll talk about this in the morning. We're both tired." Feliciano left the kitchen without another word.

The talk never came the next morning, both avoiding the topic, Feliciano now wary of his brother.


	8. Chapter 6

"Are you tired?" Feliciano shook his head, trying to keep his balance. He ended up bumping into Lovino.

"Sorry," he muttered, yawning. They had been walking for a while now, the sun starting to lower from its noon position.

"We can rest if you want," Lovino offered. Feliciano tried to say no, but he stumbled and almost fell. Lovino caught him, holding onto his shoulder. "I'm taking that as a yes. Over here." He led Feliciano off the road, making him sit down behind a tree.

"But Lovi...What if those, y'know, things come around?"

"I'll keep watch. Just get some rest." Lovino sat down and Feliciano laid his head in Lovino's lap. He looked up at his older brother with a small smile. "What are you smiling about?"

"Just thinking of how happy you once were."

"Idiota, I'm still happy."

"You don't smile as often. I miss it." Lovino frowned at the statement. "See? You're not smiling!"

"Because I don't have anything to smile about." Feliciano whined softly, pushing the corners of Lovino's mouth up.

"Please?" Lovino rolled his eyes and softly bit Feliciano's finger. The younger Italian yelped, pulling away. "Lovi!" he cried as Lovino started laughing. "That was mean of you!" Even as he said it, Feliciano couldn't help but giggle, glad that his brother was laughing.

"Sorry, sorry," chuckled Lovino, grinning. He ran his hand through Feliciano's hair, sighing softly. Feliciano smiled, tilting his head slightly. He closed his eyes, soon dozing off. Lovino looked around, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. His brother was so innocent, so sweet, and so young. He couldn't imagine losing him.

Exhausted, Lovino closed his eyes for just a moment, sleep overtaking him. It was just so peaceful, with the sun slowly setting and the birds chirping. He found nothing wrong with a small nap...

"Lovi! Lovi, wake up!" The older Italian woke with a start. Feliciano immediately covered Lovino's mouth, motioning for him to stay quiet. "Over there." Feliciano pointed to the road. It was dark, a million small lights illuminating the sky. Lovino looked over, moving Feliciano's hand away. Squinting into the darkness, he vaguely saw someone moving on the other side of the road. Lovino grabbed his gun and stood up, glaring at Feliciano when he moved.

The two slowly made their way across the road to the figure. Lovino gritted his teeth when he heard whimpering, and he made a cutting motion with his hand to silence Feliciano. Feliciano gave Lovino an odd look, mouthing That isn't me.

"Big brother?" Both Italians looked back over to the figure, Feliciano turning on the flashlight in his hand. A boy, about twelve, stood in front of them. His blond hair was unkempt, his blue eyes wide and shining with tears. He wore a sailor's outfit, clutching a small blue cap in his hands. "You're not Iggy," he whimpered.

"No, sorry," said Lovino. "Who are you looking for?"

"My big brother," he replied. "We were running from this monsters, when we got separated. Now I can't find him and I'm scared." Feliciano stepped towards the boy.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Peter," the boy mumbled. "Peter Kirkland." Feliciano smiled, kneeling down and holding out his hand.

"My name is Feliciano, and that's my big brother, Lovino. We'll help you find your brother. Right, Lovi?" Feliciano looked up at Lovino, who so badly wanted to protest. But he knew how he would have felt if he was separated from his own brother. So with a heavy sigh, he nodded. Peter smiled, hugging Feliciano.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"Wait," Lovino said with a frown. "Are you bit or anything?" Peter shook his head.

"No, Iggy made sure I was kept safe." Feliciano picked Peter up.

"Do you have an idea where your brother is?" Peter nodded.

"Back at the safe house, with the others."

"Others?" echoed Lovino.

"Yeah, it's me, Arthur, and three others. We had more, but they left this morning. They weren't back when Arthur and I left."

"So where is this safe house?" asked Lovino. Feliciano set Peter down so he could point.

"The school down the road," Peter said. "Roosevelt High." Lovino looked over at Feliciano, whose smile had disappeared. Roosevelt High was their school, Lovino volunteering there after he had graduated once or twice every two weeks. "When we got there, it was filled with monsters."

'We call them biters," Lovino said.

"That's a good name to call them. Well, that's where we're hiding. It's safe for the most part."

"Then that's where we'll take you." Feliciano grinned, taking Peter's hand. The two skipped ahead. Lovino sighed, slinging the duffle bag over his shoulder, gun case in hand. He followed the two, looking around cautiously.

"Be quiet," he snapped when Feliciano and Peter laughed. "Unless you want to get bit because you two attracted a biter."

"Oh, lighten up, Lovi!" whined Feliciano.

"Yeah, lighten up, Lovi!" mimicked Peter, setting Feliciano and he into giggles. Lovino, however, wasn't smiling. He grabbed Peter, turning him around.

"This isn't a game," he growled. "Every day from here on out could be your last. For all we know, your brother could be dead. And who knows? You might join him." Feliciano pulled Peter away.

"Lovino, stop it! You're scaring him!"

"He's not dead." Feliciano and Lovino looked at Peter. "He's not. He promised me we'd get through this together. He said he wouldn't abandon me!" Peter's lower lip trembled. "He promised...And if your big brother promised to take care of you, wouldn't you believe him?" Feliciano opened his mouth, closing it again.

"Well...Lovi did promise," he finally mumbled. "He said he'll protect me."

"Then you trust him, right?"

"Let's just go. We're losing sunlight." Peter glared at Lovino before taking Feliciano's hand. The two walked ahead, somber now. Lovino followed, his mind running a mile a minute now.

Did Feliciano not trust him? Did he think that he would be left behind? Lovino frowned and sighed quietly. He'd have to ask Feli later.

After a while, Peter let go of Feliciano's hand. "There it is! The school!" He ran down the road, heading to the high school that sat off to the side.

"Peter, wait!" Feliciano said with a laugh, running after the boy.

"Hey! Get back here!" Lovino yelled out. A loud scream filled his ears as Feliciano was tackled. Peter shrieked when he saw the biter trying to get to Feliciano. "Feli!" Lovino dropped the gun case and duffle bag, raising his gun to shoot, but he couldn't get a good enough aim. His muscles locked when he realized he couldn't shoot without hitting Feliciano.

There was a loud bang, and the biter was thrown back. Peter turned around, his eyes wide. "Iggy!" He ran to someone coming out of the woods. A man, in his twenties, picked Peter up, holding him close.

"Peter! Oh thank God, you're okay!" Lovino ran over to Feliciano, helping him up.

"Are you okay? Did it get to you?" he asked, over and over, shaking. Feliciano had to say no four times to reassure his brother.

"Fratello, I'm okay. I wasn't bit or anything." Lovino hugged Feliciano tightly.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I froze up, and I almost lost you."

"But you didn't," Feliciano said, pulling away. "I'm fine." Lovino smiled slightly, and Feliciano smiled back. His eyes shifted behind Lovino, and he gasped. "Lovi, look out!" Lovino whipped around, his eyes widening when he saw the biter stumble over to him. He raised his gun, this time not hesitating in shooting three rounds into the biter's head.

Peter ran over to the two Italians. "Are you guys okay? I didn't see it coming! I'm sorry!" Peter was in tears as he apologized, saying it was his fault that the biter had almost gotten Feliciano. Lovino smiled, putting his hand over Peter's mouth.

"Listen, kid, it wasn't your fault. It could have happened to anybody. Just be glad it wasn't you that was in the biter's hands." Peter smiled and nodded, going back to his brother.

"Iggy, these two found me! They're really nice for the most part." The man looked over at Lovino and Feliciano.

"Thank you for finding my little brother," he said, his voice having a British accent. "My name is Arthur Kirkland. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't find Peter anywhere." Lovino stood up, helping Feliciano stand.

"I'm Lovino Vargas, and this is my younger brother, Feliciano. We found Peter wandering the side of the road."

"Yes, we had gotten separated while escaping a few of those beasts. When I realized Peter wasn't with me, I panicked and made my way back here. Thank you again."

"Iggy, we have to bring them in. We can't just leave them out here!" Arthur sighed, shaking his head.

"Peter, I know you care, but we can't just take in anyone."

"But they saved me! I could be dead right now!"

"It's actually fine," said Lovino. "We need to head off anyway." Peter grabbed Feliciano's hand, looking up at him.

"Please! Convince your brother to stay! Just for a little while?" Feliciano looked over at Lovino, who sighed in defeat.

"Goddamn it, I hate when you give me that look," he said. "If it's okay with Arthur." The older Kirkland chuckled, shrugging.

"It seems as if we're both in the grasps of our younger brothers. Yes, you may come in. It would be rude of me to turn you both away." Peter grinned and tugged Feliciano to the school. Arthur and Lovino walked at a slow pace after Lovino had grabbed their things. "When your brother was taken down," Arthur said. "You hesitated in shooting." Lovino looked down, scuffing his shoe against the road.

"Yeah, I know."

"Almost as if you would have let him die." Lovino snapped his head up.

"I would never let my fratello die!"

"Do you care for him?"

"Of course?"

"Would you do anything to keep him safe?" Lovino nodded, scowling. Where was he getting at? "Even if it meant to put him down if he was infected?" Lovino stopped walking. Arthur turned to him, his emerald green eyes narrowed. His blond hair was a mess, the same shade as Peter's, if not a bit darker. "Well? Would you?"

"...No. I wouldn't be able to. I'd break."

"That's what I thought. You care about him too much. He'll be the death of you." Lovino glared at him.

"And what about your brother? He's young, he'll get into trouble. What will happen when you're not there to get him out of it?"

"My brother has nothing to do with this."

"But he does. So, Arthur," Lovino smirked, walking ahead. "I think you're the one who cares about your brother too much. I think _he'll_ be the death of _you_." He followed where Feliciano and Peter had went, leaving Arthur in his place.

The younger brothers were standing at the door, waiting for their older brothers. Lovino walked up the stone steps of his old high school, looking up at the white columns with a smile. It felt as if he had walked up those stairs yesterday, when in truth the last time he stepped foot into Roosevelt High was two months ago. His job had became too chaotic for him to volunteer every two weeks.

"Hurry up, Lovi!" said Feliciano, smiling brightly. Peter let go of Feliciano's hand and knocked on the wide doors of the school.

"We always have someone on guard at the doors," Peter explained. "The front, the back, and the others are boarded. Second floor is boarded, too. The basement is locked. I think there are more biters down there. We don't want to clear them out yet." Peter knocked again, hopping in place as Arthur walked up the steps. "Iggy, they won't open up!" he complained.

"Did you do the special knock?" he asked, standing next to Peter.

"Oh...No, I forgot." Peter knocked twice on the door, then paused before knocking a final time. This time someone did open up. Instantly Feliciano hid behind Lovino, his eyes wide as a boy with black hair and amber eyes stepped out. "Kiku!" Peter said with a grin.

"Ah, hello, Peter," Kiku greeted, bowing. He raised his head and caught sight of Feliciano and Lovino. For a moment he didn't react. Then a smile crossed his face as he straightened. "Hello again, Feliciano. It feels as if we haven't spoken in quite a while now."

The one thought, the only thought to be exact, that ran through Lovino's mind right then and there was _This was the boy bullying my brother for two years._ Oh, hell no, he was not about to let his brother anywhere near this bastard.


	9. Chapter 7

"And this is my room!" Peter pushed open the door to Feliciano's old Chemistry lab. Lovino followed the two, occasionally glancing at Kiku, who was calm and seemed perfectly okay. Feliciano, however, was a shaking mess, trying desperately to pay attention to Peter, who was showing him around the school. "There was a lot of blood in here, and chemical messes."

"I still would rather have you in another room altogether," grumbled Arthur. "There still could be traces of chemicals in here."

"I'll clean it up," offered Feliciano. "I've had this class two years in a row. I know what certain chemicals are dangerous." Arthur smiled and nodded.

"That would be helpful. Thank you." Peter pulled Feliciano to a corner where a small cot was.

"Your school had a lot of first aid stuff," he said.

"Yes, well, our school wasn't the nicest of schools," Lovino said. Feliciano laughed, turning to his brother.

"Fratello, you know we weren't that bad!"

"Every time I came to volunteer, there were at least four kids lined up in front of the nurse's I graduated there were accidents. And need I remind you about the catastrophic frog release of tenth grade?"

"What frog release?" asked Peter, curious. Feliciano giggled with a shrug.

"Well, when Lovi was in junior year and I was a freshman, _someone_ had let out all the frogs from the biology classrooms."

"And not just someone," Lovino said, wrapping his arm around Feliciano.

"It was an accident!" whined Feliciano.

"You let frogs out?" Peter said, grinning. "That's so cool!"

"The school was closed for three days. We still never found all the frogs." Lovino smiled, kissing Feliciano's cheek. "I'm surprised this idiota didn't get suspended."

"Hey, Feliciano, let's go see if we can find the frogs," Peter said, grabbing Feliciano's hand and pulling him out the room. Arthur chuckled, looking over at Lovino.

"I do believe that was all over international news at one point," he said. Lovino shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It was. Everyone knew it was Feli, and a lot of people wanted to interview him, but I didn't let them. He was scared to death of all the people that came to ask questions."

"Feliciano is a good person," Kiku said. Lovino glanced at him, his smile immediately disappearing. "He was really nice towards me and my friend Ludwig."

"Which reminds me," Arthur walked past Kiku. "Is Ludwig still with Alfred?" Kiku nodded.

"They're in the cafeteria, boarding up windows that were broken down." Arthur left the room, leaving Kiku and Lovino. Kiku turned to Lovino with a kind smile. "It is nice to meet the brother of Feliciano, even during a time like this."

"I suppose," Lovino grumbled.

"Is something wrong, Lovino?" The Italian frowned, stepping towards Kiku.

"Listen, because I'm only going to say this once. I want you to stay away from my brother. He's told me what you and your friend did to him during school. That better be left in the past. Don't even think about hurting Feli, otherwise you're going to regret it." Lovino left the room to look for his brother.

Feliciano was with Peter in a different room, peeking out a window. "Look," whispered Peter, pointing. There were two biters below, scratching and biting at each other. "I think it's the night air. It makes the biters a lot more scarier. They'll attack each other."

"That is scary," Feliciano said.

"I'll get Iggy. Whenever those things get too close, he and Alfred have to scare them off. Oh! I have to introduce you to Alfred later." Peter ran off, and Feliciano kept his eyes on the two biters, too distracted to notice someone had joined him in the room until he heard the door close.

"Lovi? Is that you?" Feliciano turned around, only to be pinned to the wall by a boy the same age as him. He recognized those cold blue eyes, he recognized the slicked back blond hair. "Ludwig..." The German smirked as Kiku stepped out from behind him.

"Your brother isn't as nice as I thought he would be," Kiku said. "Meaning you told him about us. Don't you remember the punishment for telling others about our little game?" Feliciano started to tremble, trying to push Ludwig off.

"Kiku, please...It was three years ago when I told him. I didn't think he'd remember!"

"It doesn't matter. Where did we last leave off on our game, Ludwig?"

"I believe it was your turn, Kiku," Ludwig said, shoving Feliciano to Kiku.

"Ah yes, now I remember." Kiku grabbed Feliciano by the arm, pulling him closer. Feliciano was just an inch or two taller than Kiku, but that wouldn't be a problem for the other. "It's been quite a while since we played. I'm sure you remember the rules. No screaming, no biting, no noise unless I allow it." Feliciano whimpered, silently praying that Peter would hurry back.

"Don't do this...please, don't do this..." Kiku only smirked, his hand trailing up Feliciano's back.

"I wonder if you still have that funny little curl," he murmured as his hand ran through Feliciano's hair, tugging at a certain strand. Feliciano squeezed his eyes shut, trembling in fear. Kiku pushed the Italian up against the wall, waving Ludwig over. "Your turn, Ludwig," he said in a sweet tone.

Feliciano's eyes shot open as he felt Ludwig's mouth against his. He didn't want this. He didn't want to be here. Where was Lovino? Ludwig slipped his tongue in, and Feliciano bit down harshly. Instantly Ludwig pulled away, growling.

"That wasn't very nice of you," he growled. Ludwig stepped back, letting Kiku deal with Feliciano.

"What did I say about biting? Does someone need to be punished?" Tears welled up in Feliciano's eyes.

"Please, I just want to go back to my brother," he whispered, taking a step forward. Kiku slammed him back against the wall.

"You're not going anywhere," he said.

"Over here, Iggy, hurry!" Kiku and Ludwig quickly backed away from Feliciano as Peter ran into the room with Arthur and Lovino. "We saw two biters and they were getting really close! Oh, hi, Kiku, Ludwig!" The two said hello to Peter, smiling. Lovino narrowed his eyes at Kiku, looking over to Feliciano. He noticed the tears in his brother's eyes and knew that something had happened.

"Le hanno male?" he asked in Italian. Did they hurt you? Feliciano ran to his brother, hugging him tightly.

"Non posso dire," he whispered, shaking. I can't say. Lovino glared at Ludwig and Kiku.

"Arthur, I need to talk to Feliciano. I'll be back in a few." Lovino took Feliciano out of the room and downstairs to the front of the school doors. Feliciano clung to Lovino, and as soon as they were alone, he started crying. "What did they do to you? You have to tell me, Feli."

"I can't," he sobbed, shaking his head. "I can't tell you! They'll find out, and they'll do it again." Lovino held his brother close, trying to calm him down. He wanted to go back there and shoot Kiku and Ludwig. He knew something had happened; Feliciano wouldn't be freaking out just for anything. It pissed him off that his brother wasn't safe here.

"Feli, please..."

"Just...promise me one thing. I don't care if you break any other promises, but I just want you to promise me one thing." Lovino sighed, pulling back so he could look at Feliciano.

"What is it?"

"Don't leave me alone...not in here. Not with them nearby." Lovino felt his heart shatter. He grabbed Feliciano's hand, opening his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Feliciano looked up at Lovino, his eyes still shining with tears.

"I...I promise. I won't ever leave you alone." He hugged Feliciano tightly, whispering softly in Italian to calm down. Feliciano buried his face in Lovino's shoulder, whimpering. "Come on, Arthur showed me where our rooms would be."

"Rooms?" Feliciano said, sniffling.

"Yeah, everyone must get a separate room. It's so he can keep track of how many people are here."

"But Lovino..."

"They won't hurt you. Your room is right next to mine. I'll hear anyone come down the hall." Lovino led Feliciano to where their math classrooms once were. "Remember Mrs. Harrison?" Feliciano nodded, holding onto his brother's hand. "That's your room. My room is Mr. Ford."

"Where are Kiku's and Ludwig's room?"

"Upstairs, Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez rooms." Feliciano took a deep breath, hugging Lovino.

"How long do we have to stay here?" he asked quietly.

"A day, two days at best, then we can go."

"I don't want to be anywhere near them." Lovino pulled Feliciano into his room, sitting him down on the desk in the front.

"And you won't have to. I'll talk to Arthur to see what he can do."

"Don't tell him everything, please! Don't let those two know." Lovino sighed, pressing his head against Feliciano's.

"I promise I won't let them come near you." Feliciano wrapped his arms around Lovino's neck. Lovino closed his eyes, talking to Feliciano in Italian, about how he'll keep him safe, and how they'll reach their grandfather.

Feliciano nodded, relaxing now that he had Lovino in front of him. He loved his brother, and he knew Lovino would do anything to keep him safe. But there was this one voice in the back of his head, nagging at him. How far will Lovino go to protect him? Would he kill a living being? Feliciano didn't want to think about it, but there was one thing he did want to know. His heart raced as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Lovi?"

"Yes, Feli?"

"Am I...Are we..." Feliciano's voice faltered. Damn it, he couldn't back out now. Lovino pulled away, his eyes worried as Feliciano tried to speak.

"Is something wrong?" Feliciano looked down, swinging his legs slightly.

"I have a question, but I don't know how to ask."

"Just ask, and I'll answer." Feliciano took a breath, exhaling slowly to calm his nerves.

"Are we...actually brothers?" Lovino felt his heart miss a beat. Feliciano looked at Lovino, biting his lip. "I know it's a stupid thing to ask, but I was thinking about it, in the car, and it doesn't make sense. For me to be born a year after you...that doesn't add up!"

Lovino opened his mouth to say something, to tell Feliciano he was wrong, when he heard Arthur shouting.

"Lovino, come over here, quick!" Lovino gave Feliciano a quick kiss on the forehead.

"We'll talk about this later, okay?"

"Lovino!" The older brother ran out the room to Arthur, who was trying to hold the front doors shut. A hand was reaching through, trying to grab at Arthur. "Don't just stand there, get over here!" Lovino ran over, helping Arthur push the doors.

"How many are out there?" Lovino asked as the doors were shoved open again.

"Four or five would be my guess. They broke through the boards," answered Arthur, flinching when the door was shoved. "Damn! Hurry, just get it closed!" The two of them were able to close the doors, Arthur sliding a crowbar through the handles. They stepped back, panting heavily.

"That won't hold for long," Lovino said.

"You're right, but we don't have any boards for this door. I don't know why Kiku isn't here. It's his watch!"

"Have you checked the shed in the back of the school, where the baseball field is?" Arthur shook his head.

"We haven't had the time or weapons. The woods are teeming with biters. If I hadn't shot that gun today... Damn it!"

"In the morning, I'll see what I can do," Lovino said. "I know the school layout. For now, get this door barricaded and keep the others away. If you have others in your group, they'll have to wait until the walkers clear out."

"At this point, the other survivors should have been back by now." Arthur sighed, turning away. "I think it's just us now. I'll have Ludwig and Alfred barricade the doors here."

Lovino and Arthur headed to the cafeteria, when Lovino brought up the tension between Feliciano and Kiku. "If you could just keep an eye on Kiku and Ludwig," he said. "I'd appreciate it. I know it's rude of me to ask since we are guests here, but I don't want Feli getting hurt."

"I understand. If it were my brother, I'd have done the same." Arthur smiled at Lovino. "And you and Feliciano are welcome to stay for as long as you need." Lovino smiled in relief, happy that someone else was looking out for his brother.

"Thank you, Arthur. I appreciate it." As the two spoke, Peter was running around in search of Feliciano. He found the room his new friend was staying in and knocked on the door.

"Feli! Wanna go look for the frogs?" Peter listened for the Italian's voice, but instead heard Kiku.

"Feliciano and I are speaking, Peter," said Kiku. "He can't play right now." Peter sighed in disappointment.

"Okay, I'll come back later then!" And with that, he took off down the halls of the school.


	10. Chapter 8

_**This shouldn't have taken me so long to update, I'm sorry! I was finishing up school with bad grades so I had to drop everything to get them up in time. But I'm back, and it's summer! Whoo! ¡Adios!**_

"Hey there!" Feliciano turned around. A boy with blond hair and wide blue eyes stood at the doorway. Feliciano exhaled slowly, relaxing. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. My name's Alfred F. Jones, and don't you forget it!"

"Hello. My name is Feliciano. I'm here with my brother, Lovino."

"Yeah, I met him a few minutes ago. Great guy, he really cares about you." Feliciano smiled slightly.

"He does."

"Wanna scout the school with me? With the biters at the front, there's no doubt a few broke in." Feliciano nodded and followed Alfred out to the hall. The two walked the first floor, talking quietly. "You know, if he hadn't told me, I'd have thought you and your brother were dating."

"Yeah, everyone seems to get that thought," Feliciano said.

"I don't have a problem with it," Alfred said. "Love is love, y'know? And I doubt rules apply anymore."

"We're not dating!" squeaked Feliciano. "We're brothers!" Alfred laughed, swinging his arm around the Italian.

"Alright, I'm only joking. But seriously, though, it doesn't matter." Feliciano sighed, blushing.

"Did you have any siblings?" Alfred shook his head.

"I did, but not by blood. He was more than my best friend, too. We did everything together, ever since we were seven."

"Where is he?" asked Feliciano.

"Matthew was a smart kid, so he got scholarships from everywhere. On his seventeenth birthday this year, he went to a university. I haven't heard from him since."

"So you don't know what happened to him?"

"Yeah, which sucks, because before he left he told me he was going to come visit. I had an engagement ring set up for him..." Feliciano gasped quietly, stopping.

"Oh, Alfred, that's terrible! I'm so sorry." Alfred smiled and shrugged.

"It's fine. Besides, he could still be out there. This virus or whatever it is couldn't have gone so far." Feliciano smiled and nodded. They went to one of the labs, and Alfred stopped him. "Hang on a sec. Look."

A biter was crouched in the corner, growling, its back turned to the two teens. One of the windows was busted open, biters limping around in the night air. Alfred raised a knife, taking aim before throwing it. The knife lodged into the biter's head, causing the thing to go limp. Alfred went over and yanked the knife out, cleaning it.

"I need to tell Arthur about this window," he said. "In the meantime, let's close this room off." Feliciano and Alfred left the room, locking the door and walking off. "That's all the first floor rooms. Second floor is closed off since there were too many biters."

"Feli!" Feliciano turned around to see Lovino.

"Hello, Lovi!" Feliciano walked over to meet his brother halfway.

"Are you okay? I didn't find you in your room and thought something bad had happened." Feliciano smiled, wrapping his arms around Lovino's neck.

"I'm fine, silly," he said with a giggle. Lovino hugged Feliciano tightly, smiling slightly.

"Arthur agreed to take care of you if I'm not around."

"Lovi, I'm fine!"

"Peter said he heard Kiku in your room," Lovino pulled away. "You're not safe alone." Feliciano looked down, shifting his weight. He couldn't tell his brother what Kiku had told him.

_"Promise you will not tell anyone about us?" Feliciano could only nod, trapped between Kiku and the wall. "Good, because you know what happens, right? To you and your brother?" Feliciano shook his head, trembling as he felt Kiku's hand caress his cheek. "Well, let's just say that Lovino could be good bait, and your clothes could hide any bruises."_

"Feliciano? Feliciano!" Feliciano snapped his head up, breaking his daze. Lovino let go of his brother's shoulders with a frown. "You need to rest." Feliciano didn't argue, saying goodbye to Alfred and following Lovino to their rooms. Feliciano stopped outside his room, tensing up.

"Lovi...I don't want to sleep alone." Lovino sighed, looking over at his younger brother. "Please, I don't want to. I'm scared." He looked down, expecting to hear Lovino say no.

"Come on." Feliciano opened his eyes, looking over. Lovino was heading to his room, turning around. "Well?" Feliciano grinned, running over to Lovino. They went into the classroom, the older Italian closing the door. They set their guns down on the table in the front. "Our stuff is locked away in here," Lovino nodded his head at the closet. "Only you and I have the keys to it." He handed Feliciano a golden key, who pocketed it.

"So no one can get to it?" asked Feliciano. Lovino nodded, heading over to the cot in the corner.

"Yeah, so all our stuff is safe," he said. Feliciano followed him, wrapping his arms around Lovino's waist. Lovino smiled softly, slipping his hand into Feliciano's. "You're safe, too. I promise. Come on, let's sleep." The two Italians laid down on the cot, Feliciano curling up against Lovino's chest. Lovino brushed his brother's hair away from his eyes, his fingers lingering on Feliciano's cheek. "Ti amo, Feli."

"Ti amo, fratello," Feliciano murmured, closing his eyes. He sighed as Lovino's thumb stroked his cheek softly, soothing him to sleep. Lovino pressed his lips onto Feliciano's head, humming quietly. He heard Alfred's voice in the back of his head, asking if Feliciano and he were dating. Of course Lovino had said no, but his answer started to nag at him.

Feliciano was his brother, his little brother at that. Yes, he cared for Feliciano deeply, yes, he did show his love. But Lovino felt a stronger love than brotherly. The older Italian quickly shook his head. This was nonsense! He was just worried for Feli, that had to be it. He didn't actually...

"Lovi?" Lovino looked down at the stirring figure in his arms.

"Sì, Feli?" whispered Lovino. Feliciano didn't answer, starting to jerk about. Lovino frowned, shaking him gently. "Feliciano...hey..."

"Lovino? Lovino, where are you?"

A nightmare, thought Lovino. He sat up, trying to wake Feliciano.

"Feli, wake up. Feli! Feliciano, please!" Lovino tried to keep calm, tears rushing to his eyes as he heard his little brother whimper in fear.

"Don't hurt him! I'm sorry! I won't, I...I promise!"

"Feliciano, maledetto idiota! Wake up!" Lovino shook Feliciano a final time. The younger brother shot right up, a scream dying on his lips. Feliciano looked over to Lovino, suddenly hugging him. Lovino hugged back, speaking in a soft tone to calm Feliciano down.

"You're okay...I'm glad. I'm so glad..."

"Hey, it's okay. It was a nightmare, that was all." Lovino drew back, cupping Feliciano's face in his hands. "You're awake now." Feliciano leaned into the touch, tears slipping down his cheeks.

"I...I dreamt you were getting hurt. All because of me." Lovino sighed, hugging Feliciano tightly.

"It was only a nightmare. Just forget about it, okay?" Feliciano nodded, taking Lovino's hand in his. "Nightmares can't come true, not unless you let them."

"I won't let it come true. I don't want it to come true." Lovino smiled, kissing Feliciano on the head.

"Do you want a story?" Feliciano shook his head, laying back down.

"I just...I want to hear your voice. Just to know that you're here and you're okay." Lovino wrapped his arm around his brother.

"A poem, then?"

"Yes, please."

"By the dawn of first light, to the first star of the night, I will always love you. Carried across the sea, right to where you'll be, I will always love you." Feliciano looked up at Lovino with a smile. He liked this poem; Lovino would always say it to him after a nightmare. "No matter what is on your mind, no matter what you find, I will always love you." Feliciano's eyes began to droop, the low tone of Lovino's voice lulling him to sleep. "And even if the world ends, even if I never see you again..."

"I will always love you," murmured Feliciano. Lovino smiled, kissing the other on the head.

"Buonanotte, Feli."

"Buonanotte, Lovi " The two fell asleep, as peaceful as could be.

The next morning, Feliciano woke up to an empty cot. "Fratello?" Feliciano stood up, nervously leaving the room. He went to the cafeteria, smiling when he found Arthur.

"Good morning, Feliciano," Arthur said with a smile."

"Good morning, Sigñor Kirkland," Feliciano greeted.

"Please, just call me Arthur." Feliciano nodded with a soft laugh. Arthur held out a banana, to which Feliciano shook his head.

"No thanks." Arthur frowned but set the fruit down on the table. Feliciano didn't want to eat without Lovino, and right now he had no clue where he was. "Do you know where my brother is?"

"He's boarding up the window with Alfred. Later they're going to go out to the shed in the field to find boards strong enough for the front doors."

"Is that safe?" asked Feliciano.

"Alfred is skilled with a knife, and your brother is a good shot," Arthur said. "I'm sure they'll be fine. And if anything happens, I'll send out Kiku and Ludwig."

"Please don't!" Feliciano gasped. "If Kiku hurts Lovi..."

"He won't. I promised Lovino to take care of you, but I'll also take care of him."

"Thank you." Feliciano smiled. He left the cafeteria to go back to the room with the busted window. On the way, Feliciano ran into Ludwig. The taller teen glared at him, shoving him into a classroom and shutting the door. Feliciano immediately took a step back, eyes wide. "Ludwig...don't do this. Please, I'm begging you..."

"Shut up," Ludwig growled, grabbing the Italian by the arm. Feliciano turned his head away, shaking as Ludwig leaned in closer. "You know how to keep quiet. Don't make a single sound."

"Feliciano? Are you up?" Feliciano let out a yell, to which Ludwig promptly slapped him. But Lovino heard. "Feli?" The door started to open, and Ludwig quickly shoved Feliciano down. Lovino peeked in, looking around for his brother. He scowled when he saw Ludwig. "Where is my brother?"

"Right here," Feliciano said as he stood up, wincing. Lovino walked over, tilting Feliciano's head to the side.

"Why is your face red?" he asked.

"I, um...fell." Lovino narrowed his eyes, not buying it. "Can we go now?" Feliciano headed out the room, pulling Lovino along. When they went downstairs, Lovino stopped.

"Did he touch you?" Feliciano didn't answer, biting his lip. "Feliciano. Did that bastard touch you?"

"No, silly." Feliciano smiled. "Stop worrying so much. Now, come on. We need to board up the front doors, sì?"

"What? You're not going out there with me."

"Lovi! Please? I don't want you going out there by yourself."

"I won't, I have Alfred with me." Feliciano pouted, looking down. "Hey, don't be so down." Lovino ran his hand through Feliciano's hair. "I just don't want you getting hurt." Feliciano shivered, turning a light shade of pink. "Wait here with Peter and Arthur, okay?"

"Okay," Feliciano sighed. Lovino walked off, leaving Feliciano in the hall. The younger brother rubbed his neck, taking a deep breath before running to the room where his stuff was locked away.

Grabbing the key, he unlocked the closet and reached for the bag. He rummaged through for his journal and pen, grabbing them and tossing the bag back in. With a satisfying click, the door was locked again. Feliciano sat down on the front desk, turning his journal to a new page and clicking the pen. He scribbled onto the top corner of the page before writing.

_December 5th_

_The world has gone bad. It's been so long since I've written in here. I'm eighteen, and everything that's happened in the past pages seem like a dream. I'm still with Lovino. We're heading to Nonno's in North Carolina. Lovi says that we'll get there together, but...I don't think so. He's hiding something from me. _

_Believe it or not, I'm back in school, except not for work. Lovino and I are hiding out with other people. Our car broke down yesterday. These people are nice. Well, three of them are. The other two are old bullies, and...they still bully me. Their games aren't fun._

_I'm scared. Not of dying, though. That's natural. I'm scared that Lovi is forgetting things about me. He didn't remember my favorite story, and earlier he touched my curl. He should know where my curl is! It's opposite of his! I...I won't say I liked it, but it was kinda nice. _

_That isn't the point! The point is that I'm confused about everything. I can't go around asking questions, though. Lovino will get suspicious, and then I'll be in trouble. _

_Addio,_

_Feliciano._


End file.
